Job growth in North Carolina is headed in the wrong direction – the 3rd highest unemployment rate in the United States and 1 out of 10 North Carolinians unable to find a job of any kind in the five years since the Great Recession began. We were told that the Korea FTA was part of the solution. Instead it’s been part of the problem, MaryBe explains:

“Under the first year of implementation of the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement, U.S. exports to Korea of LED lights, photovoltaic cells and similar high-tech manufactured goods plunged 41 percent, in comparison to the year before the agreement took effect. These energy-saving products, a high-growth sector, have already risen to stand among North Carolina’s most important exports, making the export loss under the Korea deal especially bad news for jobs.” — MaryBe McMillan, 10/9/13

The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is like NAFTA and Korea FTA on steroids, “packed with so many outrageous provisions, including a ban on Buy American policies, that the Obama administration needs this constitution-busting procedure to railroad the TPP into effect,” says MaryBe:

“The last thing that North Carolina’s congressional delegation should do is support Fast Track and give up its constitutional authority to protect us from another damaging trade deal.” — MaryBe McMillan, 10/9/13

Congressman David Price from the Triangle, who is a key vote on trade, should just say “NO” to “fast track” for the TPP and retain Congressional authority to make sure the next trade deal doesn’t do more damage to North Carolina.

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The North Carolina State AFL-CIO is the largest association of local unions and union councils in North Carolina, representing over one-hundred and forty-thousand union members, fighting for good jobs, safe workplaces, workers’ rights, consumer protections, and quality public services on behalf of ALL working people.